One of the many great things about professional sports are the microcosms and lessons which apply to life. The same is true for business, and as a marketing company, it’s fascinating to watch the contrasting styles of different organizations. As our company is based in South Florida, the two franchises most visible are the Miami Heat and Miami Dolphins.

One of these franchises is perceived as first class – from the top down, beginning with the Arison family and Pat Riley. They demand excellence and value their fan-base. This #HeatNation Video encompasses their core values beautifully.

And then, there are the Miami Dolphins. Their fan-base bleeds Aqua and Orange, but the organization works on an annual basis to bleed both their hearts and wallets dry. The marketing disaster explained below from this week is just the latest example of how the Miami Dolphins take advantage of their customers and continue to ride a wave of brand loyalty since the 1972 perfect season (which was 6 years before I was born). As is true in both life and business, if you go to the well too many times it runs dry. The wave of brand loyalty is very low on water these days. Similarly, DolFans (as Dolphins Fans are called here in South Florida) are already extremely thirsty for success, with only 1 playoff appearance since 2001, which was the year Matt Cassel played the majority of the games for the injured Tom Brady. Hopefully the Dolphins will take a concept from that division rival, Steal a message from Bill Gates’ Playbook and “Make Their Most Unhappy Customers Their Greatest Source of Learning“.

This week, like every other Miami Dolphins season ticket holder I received notice there would be only be 1 home preseason game. At first glance I thought, oh well! Besides, no one likes being forced to buy meaningless games anyways. The organization and league ran a story where “the NFL asked the team to move the game to help market the 2017 Pro Bowl”. Anyone who has driven down the turnpike this week can clearly see the stadium is nowhere near ready. However, we can chalk that up to spin, no big deal. Not so easily dismiss-able is the team defrauding their most valuable customers. The team’s official email continued:

“As a result of this change and the reduction in the total number of 2016 home games, your account will be refunded accordingly. Similar to 2015 when we played the Jets in London, your discount will be based on the VARIABLE VALUE of the game. For the Jets game in 2015, the discount was 11.2% of your Membership price. The discount for the Atlanta preseason game is 4%.”

Huh? Variable Value of the Game? I had to read that a few times. If the organization was injected with truth serum then requested to re-write that paragraph plainly and transparently it might read something like this:

When you are required to buy both pre-season games in 2015, the cost per ticket on average after losing one of the best games of the year (Jets @ Home), is 97% of the average paid for the 9 home games. Conversely, when we have to credit a pre-season game in 2016, we will only be crediting your account for 40% of the average season ticket membership price.

The situation is compounded when you consider the Jets Home games for 2015 and 2016. When the game was playing in London last year the Dolphins had to credit this game, they valued it at 11.2% more than the average season ticket membership. This year when the customers are paying for this game it is valued at 13% more than the average, or an increased “Value” of 16% year over year. Wait,did the Jets bring Peyton Manning out of retirement? What could possibly make that game 16% more valuable in 2016 vs. 2015? Oh right, of course – the customers are paying for it in 2016.

But for DolFans around the world, hopefully this uncovered atrocity speaks to the organization, and speaks loudly. Just how loud? With the same volume that #HeatNation brings, as they rise in unity during the playoffs.

Unfortunately for DolFans, playoff tickets are not something that Dolphins management has the opportunity to mark up.

Abracadabra! A simple wave of the magic price wand… and Poof – your linen prices have been raised!

Woah, I just signed the contract less than a year ago. Can they do that and without warning? What is being taken to the cleaners, my laundry or my business? (yeah, pun was completely intended).

The Linen Service Magic Price Wand

Profiteering & Price Gouging in Linen and Uniform Services. Unbelievable but true. So how does this happen? Well, a couple of ways actually.

Price Gouging happens in many industries. For example, during natural disasters gasoline stations raise their prices knowing the consumer has limited options. They need gas to get around. If they are one of the stations that were not affected by the events they will seize the opportunity to raise prices. Luckily there are government regulations that help prevent this from happening. However this is a shady, dark and dirty area for many laundries.

With linen service a major event does not need to occur in order to merit a price increase. Here comes the magic wand again. POOF! BAM! KAPOW! Your linen service company has just raised your prices again! Hold up, BAM, AGAIN!? The answer is yes. Unless specific increases are written into your contact the linen service company can increase your prices… just like that.

How can you protect yourself? A reputable linen service company will be established and come with good references to back them up. These companies have been in business for many years and do not want to lose their community goodwill. But how do you know if a linen service company is really who they say they are? That’s where we can help. We’ve already done the homework for you. We have excellent relationships with companies all over the U.S. and Canada to meet your business’s linen service needs. Act now to receive a Free Quote from Linen Service today!

There is nothing better than sliding into fresh, crisp, white sheets in a lovely hotel room at the end of the day. Have you ever wondered how hotels keep its linens and towels fresh and clean? Hotels can go through hundreds of sets of sheets and towels a day. These hotels, inns, and bed and breakfast locations use a combination of fast maintenance and gentle care to ensure the long life and cleanliness of linens. Apply these seven principles used by hotels to extend the life of your household sheets, towels, and blankets.

Save your business today! Many business owners are never fully aware of the extent of the troubles their businesses are in until things are out of control and they are at the brink of losing the business altogether. While for the even more unfortunate ones, they have absolutely no idea what caused their troubles.

So in the name of today’s International Get Out of the Dog house Day here are the top 10 reasons why businesses fail.

There is just no excuse for bad breath any time of the year, especially not today that its World Fresh Breath Day!

Hotels around the world, the very fancy and the very expensive ones especially, have been known to keep the tradition of leaving mints on their guests’ pillows after turndown service. But while this tradition has been going on for eternity, no one really and certainly knows why exactly they do this. Humorously, some claim that room attendants do this to make sure that the guests don’t smell like awful morning breath the next morning when they make their early requests. Then again, others say they do this to up the ante of the hospitality experience, to make the guests feel indulged.